Date: June 1, 2011 Theme: Don Johnston Products Notes:
SOLO Review Guest Speaker Brenda Bender
Reading and Writing Supports Mac and PC Newest version is 6.03 Step by Step instructions/tutorials on the website All programs provide auditory feedback
Bookshare and Read:Outloud • Read:OutLoud Bookshare edition is a free e-book reader • Only reads Bookshare files • Only goes to the Bookshare URL/website • Simple toolbar in Read:Outloud vs. multiple toolbars in Kurzweil • Brenda demonstrated how to download a Bookshare book into Read:Outloud o Type Bookshare URL within the Read:Outloud program o Search for the book you are looking for o There are 4 file options: Daisy, Blind, HTML, text. Read:Outloud opens the Daisy files. Will unzip, unpack and bring the book right into Read:Outloud. o There are various eText styles that you can select. The student can adjust how the book looks
There are 30 minute tutorials for all of the software programs on-line.
Brenda was able to demonstrate downloading an actual book into Read:Outloud via a participants Bookshare account as a way to help that person trouble shoot.
Brenda briefly spoke about the other 3 SOLO products: Co:Writer, Write:OutLoud and Draft:Builder
The second half of the session was demonstrating a new program that they are working on. All participants signed a confidentiality form and no notes were taken.
Date: May 5, 2011
Theme: AT issues in public schools Attendence: Karen, Barbara, Rachel, Jeanette, Robin, Sarah, Erin, Kathy
Sharing:
Share your favorite tech tool: (sign up with your name and what tool you would like to demonstrate)
1. Barbara Murray: IPOD touches/ Ten Marks math site.
She got 15 iPods and a charging/syncing case
Syncs all apps
She is having trouble syncing the software update
Robin said that she called the company and that problem is negated if you change the default from "automatic" to "manual"
She's using it for different content areas including math (for distributive properties), listening to audiobooks, science projects, etc...
She's noticed a big difference in engagement and appropriate use of time
How do we get the general education teacher to see the difference in engagement? Video tape!
She got the audiobooks on the devices by uploading the audio CD and then syncing
Devices stay at school
She is also allowing students to bring in their iPod Touches to help them download apps to their personal devices
What should we do to move forward?
Can we purchase apps? Some trouble with PO and licensing
Some districts are allowing parents to purchase the iOS devices and then paying for the app
Recommended apps: Smoop (similar to Cliff/Spark notes, but less adds), Story Kit, Fotobabble, ZenTap Pro (word prediction), Typ-O HD (word prediction with text to speech)
2. Kathy Curie - I just got RJ Cooper's switch activated MP3 player and may have time to figure it out by Thursday. (I added a "3" so someone else can also sign up.)
The new MP3 player is nice and small. It has a nice little adapter for a switch. Costs about $100.
Shel's also working on a SMARTBoard project- They got a demo board so she had to plan activities for all ranges of students. She uses the SENSwitch program and it worked great.
3. Others:
Making "Smartboards" out of Wii game consoles
"Notebook" software versus others:
Notebook has the SMART exchange
The "Cloning" feature for counting coins, etc...
Premade templates
Editing pictures is easy
Apps to show Flash:
Qwiki: does not screen for children (shows content NC-17)
iSwifter: somewhat "finicky" and slow
Comparing word prediction apps:
ZenTap (2.99): word completion, no text to speech
Typ-O (4.99 or 14.99): word prediction, text to speech, phonetic and contextual spell support
Troubleshoot a difficult student/case: (sign up with your name)
1. Rachel Kuberry: Please help me find a good Mac compatible magnifier
2. Robin Lewis: I am dealing with a couple difficult situations at the moment and would love some help.
When to recommend a mobile device vs. laptop - not a particular difficult student but a difficult decision.
How do you get around printing:
Move to a paperless approach and don't require printing
Use google docs
Great for students with physical disabilities (takes away limitations of holding the book/newspaper, allows for easy touch activation)
Need wireless Internet
Benefits of iPad include size, fast boot up, lack of a screen blocking the teacher/student view
When you write it in the IEP you write "mobile tablet device"
Other:
Evals: How do we do them?
Use the SETT
Some also use WATI, Written Productivity Profile, etc...
Didn't get to:
Creating a Team based approach to AT in the public schools
Catch up on where people are with this
What strategies are working for people
Writing AT in to the IEP
Data collection - Bring some samples!!
Designating "jobs" for the group, such as notetaker, meeting reminders, etc...
Minutes Date: April 7, 2011 Theme:What is this group?
Minutes
Date: June 1, 2011
Theme: Don Johnston Products
Notes:
SOLO Review
Guest Speaker Brenda Bender
Reading and Writing Supports
Mac and PC
Newest version is 6.03
Step by Step instructions/tutorials on the website
All programs provide auditory feedback
Bookshare and Read:Outloud
• Read:OutLoud Bookshare edition is a free e-book reader
• Only reads Bookshare files
• Only goes to the Bookshare URL/website
• Simple toolbar in Read:Outloud vs. multiple toolbars in Kurzweil
• Brenda demonstrated how to download a Bookshare book into Read:Outloud
o Type Bookshare URL within the Read:Outloud program
o Search for the book you are looking for
o There are 4 file options: Daisy, Blind, HTML, text. Read:Outloud
opens the Daisy files. Will unzip, unpack and bring the book right into
Read:Outloud.
o There are various eText styles that you can select. The student can
adjust how the book looks
There are 30 minute tutorials for all of the software programs on-line.
Brenda was able to demonstrate downloading an actual book into Read:Outloud via
a participants Bookshare account as a way to help that person trouble shoot.
Brenda briefly spoke about the other 3 SOLO products: Co:Writer, Write:OutLoud
and Draft:Builder
The second half of the session was demonstrating a new program that they are
working on. All participants signed a confidentiality form and no notes were taken.
Date: May 5, 2011
Theme: AT issues in public schools
Attendence: Karen, Barbara, Rachel, Jeanette, Robin, Sarah, Erin, Kathy
Minutes
Date: April 7, 2011
Theme: What is this group?
Date: 3/7/11
Topic: AAC evals, ATIA recap, ...
Date: 10/14/10
Topic: iPods and iPads